The invention relates to compact, self-contained fire extinguishing apparatus particularly for use in existing electrical equipment such as receptacle boxes, switchboxes, fuse boxes, electronic gear, motors and various other kinds of electrical equipment having a housing in which there is normally not sufficient space for incorporating a fire extinguisher into the housing.
Fire extinguishers useful for electrical equipment have been disclosed, as in Terry U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,733, and intended to discharge a fire extinguishing agent through ducting or discharge lines into the equipment housing. Indeed, fixed extinguisher systems for protecting electrical and mechanical equipment have long been known, as in Dunn U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,889,755, and 3,889,776. Such systems are neither practical nor feasibly useful for protecting numerous kinds of equipment such as household circuit breaker boxes, receptacle boxes and the like. The high cost and complexity of such prior art prohibits their use for such application. Because of cost, complexity and nonsuitability, such prior art systems and apparatus have not been used also for many commercial applications.
Accordingly, among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of compact selfcontained fire extinguishing apparatus; particularly such apparatus which is especially useful with electrical apparatus of the type including a housing for containment of electrical circuits and the like, which housing has limited space such as would normally be insufficient for incorporating a fire extinguisher within the housing; and the provisions of such aparatus which is intrinsically simple and economical so as to be practical and feasible for providing fire protection for numerous different kinds of equipment such as household circuit breaker boxes, receptacle boxes and the like, including electric motors as well as many other commercial installations.
Among still further objects of the invention are the provision of such apparatus which can be added by retrofitting to many different kinds of already operational or installed electrical equipment without substantial modification of such equipment; which does not interfere with normal operation or function of equipment with which used; and which can easily be replaced after protectively discharging into a housing for such equipment.
It is also an object of the invention to provide the combination of such fire extinguishing apparatus with means for indicating that such apparatus has discharged fire extinguishing substance contained therein, thereby to permit replacement of the discharged apparatus.
Other objects of the invention include the provision of such apparatus which can be installed simply and easily and which later may be replaced easily and quickly if discharged; which does not require high skill or expertise for installation or replacement; which is secure when installed; which is tamper-proof as well as operationally reliable when installed; and which is extremely economical in nature such as permits wide installation and use in myriad domestic and commercial applications which have heretofore not been protected by fire extinguishers.
Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out below.